


tell me i’m okay

by justasuperfan



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Amnesia, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Flashbacks, Hurt Zuko (Avatar), Lightningbending & Lightningbenders (Avatar), M/M, Post-Canon, amnesic zuko, this was so depressing to write
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-11
Updated: 2020-11-11
Packaged: 2021-03-09 18:13:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,059
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27510574
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/justasuperfan/pseuds/justasuperfan
Summary: zuko wakes up after being struck by lightning, but things aren’t quite the same
Relationships: Iroh & Zuko (Avatar), Katara & Sokka (Avatar), Sokka/Zuko (Avatar), The Gaang & Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 8
Kudos: 178





	tell me i’m okay

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Lightning Before the Thunder](https://archiveofourown.org/works/27447913) by [carrot_png](https://archiveofourown.org/users/carrot_png/pseuds/carrot_png). 



> hey guys! so this is a spin-off of lightning before the thunder by carrot_png so go read it its AMAZING! thanks so much for letting me write something based off your work.
> 
> basically i just added sokka POV and more after zuko woke up. i have so many ideas for this but i decided to make it one chapter because its pretty hard to write out all my ideas, and i didn’t want to just steal someone else’s work and run off with it lol. hope you enjoy! if something doesn’t make sense, it’s either bc i cut out the part about zuko’s dreams at the beginning, or i based it off the work its inspired by. 
> 
> TW: scars, lightning, flashbacks but not really, implied anorexia but it’s not really anorexia

“You have to eat, Sokka.”

Katara poked her brother’s arm with her fork from across the table. Sokka just shook his head.

He should’ve been there for Zuko. He shouldn’t have ever let this happen to someone he cared so much about. First his mom, then Yue, now this? He couldn’t take much more heartbreak. 

“Sokka. Dying of starvation won’t help him.” His sister tried again, fixing her ocean blue eyes on him. He stared into her pitiful gaze and shook his head again. Everything was just so hard. Why should he have to eat when Zuko couldn’t even open his eyes for more than seconds at a time? He just wanted his stupid, awkward boyfriend back. 

Katara sighed and walked around the fire nation table to sit next to him. “He’ll wake up soon, I promise. And I know it’s hard. But you have to be there for him when he does wake up, and you can’t do that if you’re sick from not eating.”

Sokka didn’t respond. His sister sighed, put a hand on his shoulder, then stood. “Just eat something, okay? It doesn't have to be much. I’m gonna go check on Aang, but I’ll be back later.”

He managed a small smile in her direction and stared down at his plate. Fire flakes were never his favorite. But paired with dolphin-fish, to make the water tribe guests feel welcome, and some rice from the Earth Kingdom, it was a meal Sokka normally would’ve scarfed down in minutes. But his chest hurt too much to do that. If he ate anything, it would just end up on the floor a few minutes later while he started another crying fest because he couldn’t even enjoy the food he used to love the most.

Then there was Zuko. _His_ Zuko, who wouldn’t even make a noise. And every time the new firelord opened his eyes, it was like he didn’t even recognize his own boyfriend. It drove Sokka mad to sit there all day and talk with no response. He missed the days spent on Appa, kissing in secret spots in the air temple, teary confessions before they both left to fight their own battles. Sokka missed the war, because the war meant he could have Zuko. 

Sokka stood from the table and walked out the dining hall door, through the maze-like halls of the palace, and out the grand entrance with red stone dragons curling around the handles. The two guards that stood positioned by each side gave him a nod before he left. He’d been outside of the palace enough that every rotation of guards knew his face. 

He positioned himself on the ground by the turtleduck pond. Zuko had told Sokka that it used to be his favorite spot in the palace, before he was banished. He would just sit and watch the water for hours. Sokka had made a habit of going there just to say he did whenever Zuko woke up.

He stared at the water as it reflected memories of hatred.

_“You...you hurt him, and he won’t wake up. What world do you live in where you don’t feel sorry for practically murdering your own brother?!”_

_Azula smirked at him. Something like remorse glinted in her eyes for a second before it was gone, drowned in a pool of golden hatred. “What world do you live in where nothing ends badly and la dee da you skip away with your boyfriend on your arm? Really, peasant, you should rethink how you view people if you’re surprised by the outcome.”_

_He gritted his teeth. Last time he let himself at her, it didn’t end well. It was his fault they didn’t kill the firelord on the day of the black sun, because he couldn’t control his anger. He had to now if he didn’t want anyone else to get hurt. “All I’m asking is that you feel something! Something to make you apologize, or at least regret what you did. If he dies, it’s your fault.”_

_She shrugged. Her chopped bands fell into her eyes as she leaned forward. Their faces were inches away. Sokka could look into her eyes and see every emotion that was ever held there, and none of them were good. “Listen to me. You’re a lonely, pathetic boy and you don’t deserve happiness. Neither did poor Zuzu. He made his choice, now you need to make yours. Keep threatening me for no reason, or get out of here and never return. Only one of those options will end well.”_

Sokka shivered. Nothing ever went right. The war was over but the casualties waged on and it wasn’t _fair_. They were supposed to be living happily ever after like in all the stories! But no. The spirits hated him. The one person he’d finally been able to love was just...gone. And he might never come back.

Footsteps sounded on the pathway and Sokka snapped his head up to see a huard running towards him. “General Iroh has requested your presence!”

Sokka stood. What in the name of Tui and La could Iroh want him for? His heart raced as he thought through possibilities. What if Uncle Iroh was homophobic or something and Zuko had woken up and told him everything? What if Zuko died? What if any of Sokka’s other friends were hurt?

He hobbled into the palace, leaning heavily on his crutch, and was caught by a warm pair of arms. Iroh looked down on him with a bright smile. “He said your name, and we think he’s waking up.”

And that was more comforting than any amount of good news he’d ever received.

…

The lights were low but still harsh on Zuko’s eyes. He searched the room and found it full of people smiling at him with bright eyes and open arms as if they were all ready to hug him. He squinted and looked at each of them in turn. Did he know these people? Did they know him?

The one on the far left was a girl in blue, next to a girl with short red hair and another with milky green eyes. Then there was a small bald boy who looked suspiciously like an air nomad. Zuko didn’t know how he knew, but somehow he felt like air nomads shouldn’t be around anymore. On the boy’s right was another, taller boy with a crutch and beautiful blue eyes, leaning on a shorter elderly man. Something felt so familiar about these people.

Zuko sat up and grunted as a stinging pain shot through his abdomen. But he ignored it. Doing something other than laying down felt freeing somehow, like a breath of fresh air. If only he could remember why he was laying down in the first place. The edges of his brain seemed foggy, as if he could remember the basics of the world but nothing important. Nothing that mattered. And he had the feeling he should know who these people standing in front of him were.

Speaking of, the one in blue with the long brown hair had rushed forward to study him. She looked like a waterbender. Had she been the one to heal him?

“I’m okay.” He coughed out. He really wasn’t, but it was nice being able to do something on his own. Even if it made his insides burn and his throat raw. 

Everyone stared at him as if they were waiting for him to die at any minute. Some people’s eyes watered and he looked at them each in turn, eyes lingering on the boy with the blue eyes. He knew this boy, he did, but he didn’t know how or why. It was frustrating.

He coughed and leaned back on his arms while still sitting up. “So, um...where am I?”

That’s when the smiles and laughs broke out. The heavy tension from earlier snapped like a bolt of lightning and gave way into a flood of painful hugs and strange words. Everyone was just talking so fast, and so loud, and Zuko hadn’t sat up or talked or opened his eyes in who knew how long. The world seemed to spin. Somehow he knew that if he remembered anything about his life, he would hate situations with this many people. 

There were a few things he did know, he thought as a flurry of hugs came from all directions. He knew a few names but didn’t know who to associate them with. And he knew he had a scar over his left eye, that much was clear. It was almost like the memory that the deformed left side of his face existed was etched into his brain like its own little scar. 

So when everyone backed off, he fell back onto his covers and closed his eyes while still staying awake.

“How are you feeling, Nephew?” Someone, probably the old man judging by the voice, asked. Was the man his uncle? He strained to remember, but nothing came up. Damn his stupid fried brain. What had happened to make him forget _everything?_

“Ugh...not great. Don’t remember much.”

The fear was palpable. He knew that, if he opened his eyes, he would see the strangers exchanging nervous glances. 

“But you...you do remember what happened, right? And you remember us?” A girl asked. Someone else made a sharp sound of pain as if they’d been punched in the stomach. 

“Am I...supposed to know who you are?” Every word was a struggle. Zuko was beginning to long for the blank space of dreaming again. At least he didn’t feel so guilty when he was asleep.

Someone choked out a sob, and Zuko heard the sound of someone walking out of the room. Had he said something wrong? These people obviously cared about him by the way they spoke. Then again, even with his limited sense of self, Zuko knew he was never the kind of person to think too much before guessing.

“Yeah, Zuko, we’re...we’re your _family_.” Another girl said.

“Do you remember anything?” The old man—Zuko’s uncle?—asked.

“A….a few names. S-soaka? Sokka?” He mumbled. 

Someone gasped. “That’s—that’s me. You remember me.” A boy said, incredulous. Zuko opened his right eye a little and saw the boy with the blue eyes approaching him. Was this Zuko’s brother? Cousin? Boyfriend? He suddenly felt a lot worse for forgetting these people.

Zuko cleared his throat. “And um...Iroh? And Azula? Is that anyone y-you know?”

“I’m Iroh.” The old man sounded pleased. 

“Azula is your sister,” He recognized the boy’s voice as the air nomad, since he was the only other young boy in the room. He sounded pained when he said the words. He opened his eyes again to examine the room and saw that the two girls were gone, leaving only the waterbender who was looking at him in pain. Sokka was by his bedside and Iroh had moved closer as well.

“I have the feeling Azula isn’t a great sister.” He winced as he said it. His chest started to hurt when he said his sister’s name. 

“No. She’s… _horrible_.” The waterbender breathed. “Do you remember anything else?”

Zuko shook his head weakly. He was getting tired. It would be nice to get some more sleep. “J-Just the names. And uh...no. Nothing else.” 

He didn’t want to say that he suddenly remembered how he’d been struck by lightning.

And then he fell back into the shadows.

…

Sokka felt the tears pouring down his face more than he felt the pain growing in his heart. His own boyfriend didn’t remember him. And who’s to say he’d fall in love with Sokka again? Did he even remember their kiss? How do you start over when the person you love most only knows your name?

He limped out of the room and saw Toph and Suki crouched by the door. Toph had her head buried in her hands and Suki had a hand on the younger girl’s shoulder. Sokka looked into Suki’s blue eyes, and she met his gaze with an undeniable pain before shaking her head and mouthing _I’m so sorry_. Sometimes Sokka wished Yue had never died so he wouldn’t know the pain of heartbreak more than once.

Maybe it would've been easier if he’d never met Zuko.

**Author's Note:**

> i’m going to try to finish the rest of the prompts in my invox but i can’t garuantee it yet. a lot of things are going on rn and im not even supposed to be online, so im not sure. i’m also trying to see if i can write a modern azula redemption because that idea has been stuck in my mind for a while


End file.
